Tightening and cut-off tool for cable straps



C. C. BELL Jan. 21, 1964 TIGHTENING AND CUT-OFF TOOL FOR CABLE STRAPS 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 3, 1962 INVENTOR. CHARLES COX BELL ATTORNEYJan. 21, 1964 c. c. BELL 3,118,473

TIGHTENING AND CUT-QFF TOOL FOR CABLE STRAPS Filed May 5, 1962 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. CHARLES COX BELL A TTOR/VE) United StatesPatent 3,118,473 TIGHTENING AND CUT-OFF TOOL FOR CABLE STRAPS Charles C.Bell, 180 Wampanoug Road, East Greenwich, RI. Filed May 3, 1962, Ser.No. 192,142 7 Claims. (Cl. 140-93) This invention relates to atightening and cut-off tool for cable straps and more particularly to atool for drawmg into a tight loop a strap binding a plurality of strandsand for cutting oif the excess length of strap.

An object of the present invention is to provide a light weight,rapid-1y acting tool for pulling a self-locking cable strap into a loop,whereby strands of material are bound together and the length of cablestrap beyond the locking point is cut off.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a tool in the formof a hand gun which is adapted to receive the specially designed head ofa self-locking cable strap and whereby mechanism both manually operatedor automatically operated located within said hand gun pulls said cablestrap into a locked binding loop around strand material after the otherend of the cable strap is manually placed through said speciallydesigned head and into engagement with said mechanism.

A form of cable strap referred to is'the subject of United States patentapplication, Serial No. 128,509, filed August 1, 1961, by Charles CoxBell.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in part andbe pointed out in part in the following specification and claims.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters refer tolike parts:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the new and improved tightening andcut-off tool for cable straps.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the self-locking cable strap adaptedto be used with the present tightening and cut-ofl? tool.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on line 55 of FIGURE4.

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 showing a modified form of strappulling mechanism.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view, partly in section, of the movable partswithout the gun shaped housing.

In proceeding with this invention, reference is made to the drawingswherein a gun shaped hollow housing is illustrated as comprising twosimilar sections. The left hand section consists of a left side wall 10,and projecting therefrom are an upper wall 11 and a lower wall 12integrally connected by a bottom wall 13. These walls take the generalshape of a hand grip or gun. Lower wall 12 is provided with two recesses15 and 16. Side wall 10 is integrally provided with a flange 17. Theright hand section consists of a right side wall 20, and projectingtherefrom are an upper wall 21 and a lower wall 22 integrally connectedby a bottom wall 23. These walls take the general shape of a hand gunand they mate respectively, with upper wall 11, lower wall 12 and bottomwall 13 to provide chamber 14 open at the front end. Right side wall 21is integrally provided with a flange 27. Flange 27 is diametricallyopposite flange 17. Three screws 29, 30, 31 fasten the left side wall 10to the right side wall 20. A pintle 32 is secured on opposite ends toleft side wall 10 and right side wall 20, respectively. A lever 35having a thumb section 36 and an angle shaped bracket 37 is pivotallyconnected to pintle 32. Bracket 37 is fastened to lever 35 as bywelding. A

rod 38 secured on opposite ends in flanges 17, 27, respectively, limitsthe upward pivotal movement of lever 35.

A face piece 40 provided with an upper 41 and lower 41A vertical slot istapered at 42, and 42A. Screws 43, 43A fasten face piece 40 to rightside wall 20. Screws 44, 44A fasten face piece 40 to left side wall 10.Axially, face piece 40 is provided with a rectangular slot 45 adapted toreceive the saw tooth body of the self-locking cable strap. An entranceor throat 46 is generally rectangular in shape and tapered outwardlyfrom rectangular slot 45. A lower knife blade 47 is fastened in lowervertical slot 41A by means of screw 48. An upper knife blade 50 providedwith an opening 51 and an elon gated slot 52 is slidably mounted inupper vertical slot 41 by means of screw 53.

A pin 57 is secured on opposite ends in left side wall 10 and right sidewall 20. A knife actuating lever 60 is pivotally mounted upon pin 57 andprojects through opening 51. A leaf spring '61 fastened to knifeactuating lever 60 by means of rivets 62 abuts lever 35 to yielding-w lyhold lever 35 against rod 38. Angle shaped bracket 37 is adapted toengage knife actuating lever 60 to cause upper knife blade 50 to movetoward lower knife blade 47 in a cutting or shearing action.

A U-shaped beam lever provided with an extension 71 is pivotally mountedupon a stub shaft 72 fastened on opposite ends in left side wall 10 andright side wall 20. A lower, knurled or friction, gripping wheel 75 isrotatively mounted upon a pintle 76 fixed on opposite ends in U-shapedbeam lever 70. A roller 77 is rotatively mounted upon a rod 78 fixed onopposite ends in U- shaped beam lever 70. A stopping pin 79 is fixed onopposite ends in U-shaped beam lever 70. A deflecting strip '80 isfastened to U-shaped beam lever 70 by means of welding. A spring pin 81is secured in left side wall 10. A coil spring 82 is fastened onopposite ends to spring pin 81 and extension 71, respectively A stem 125is fastened on opposite ends in left side wall 10 and right side wall20. A trigger finger 91 provided with a cam surface 92 is pivotallymounted upon stem 125 with roller 77 engaging cam surface 92 and withfront surface 93 of trigger finger 91 abutting stopping pin 79 in a restor inoperative position under the influence of spring 82. Trigger finger91 is located in recess 15.

A stub shaft is fastened on opposite ends in left side wall 10 and rightside Wall 20. An upper, knurled or friction drive, wheel 101 and a beltpulley 102 are fastened upon stub shaft 100 with upper knurled orfriction drive wheel 101 operatively positioned above lower, knurled orfriction, gripping wheel 75.

Left side wall It} is provided with a bushing 85. Right side wall 20 isprovided with a bushing 86. A main shaft 91) is rotatively mounted inbushings 85, 86. A second belt pulley 103 is fastened to main shaft 90.A belt 105 rotatively engages belt pulley 102 and second belt pulley103. A hand wheel is fastened to main shaft 90 by means of a drive fitand screw 111. A crank handle 112 is fastened to hand wheel 110, as bymeans of welding, brazing or the like.

The self-locking cable strap illustrated'in FIGURE 3 comprises a flatstrip 4, provided with ratchet teeth 2, 3 on opposite sides thereof, anda hollow tapered head 1 having horizontal pawls 6, 8, on one end and aknurled tongue 9 on the opposite end. Tongue 9 is passed through hollowtapered head 1 with pawls 6, -8 engaging ratchet teeth 2, 3respectively, to hold flat strip 4 in a loop.

The essential function of the present tightening and cut-off tool is totightly draw flat strip 4 in a loop around strand material, such as thecable ends in a telephone switchboard panel and then cut the excesslength of flat strip 4 extending beyond the pawls 6, 8 engaging theratchet teeth 2, 3 in locking position.

This function is accomplished by pressing hollow tapered head 1 intothroat 46. The taper of throat 46 is adapted to accommodate the taper ofhollow tapered head 1. Tongue 9 is then manually passed through hollowtapered head 1 and through rectangular slot 45 so that tongue 9 passesbetween upper knurled wheel 101 and knurled gripping wheel 75. Tongue 9may be passed between wheels 101 and 75 when trigger finger 91 ispressed in the direction of the arrow in FIGURE 4 whereby cam 92 actingthrough roller 77 pivots U-shaped beam lever 70 against the torque ortension of spring 82. The tension of spring 82 exerted on lower knurledgripping wheel 75 wedges tongue 9 between wheels 101 and 75.

Crank handle 112 is manually rotated, whereby main shaft 90, and secondbelt pulley 103 are rotated and through belt 105, belt pulley 102, stubshaft 100, and upper knurled wheel 101 are rotated. In this mannertongue 9 and flat strip 4 are drawn against deflecting strip 80 untilthe resistance of flat strip 4 overcomes the pulling effect of upperknurled wheel 101. The action described is accomplished with one turn ofhand wheel 110.

The operative, manually with thumb pressure, will engage thumb section36 of lever 35 to pivot said lever 35 on pintle 32 against the tensionof leaf spring 61. This action causes bracket 37 to pivot knifeactuating lever 60 around pin 57 with the end of knife actuating lever60 forcing upper knife blade 50 downwardly, whereby flat strip 4 is cutor sheared by upper and lower knife blades 50, 47. The cut off excessend of flat strip 4 will drop through recess 16.

Trigger finger 91 is pressed in the direction of the arrow, wherebyroller 77 engages cam surface 92, as trigger finger 91 pivots on stem125. Cam surface 92 lifts roller 77 and rod 78 upwardly to pivotU-shaped beam lever 70 on stub shaft 72 and thereby pivot knurledgripping wheel 75 away from upper knurled wheel 101 to release fiatstrip 4 which releases the excess end allowing the end to drop throughrecess 16. The locked looped strap is now withdrawn from throat 46, Thetightening and cut off tool is now ready to receive another selflockingcable strap.

In FIGURE 6 there is shown a form of power drive to be used in place ofmanually turning hand wheel 110. Lower wall 12A is provided with a boss200. Bottom wail 13A is provided with a bushing 201. A flexible shaft202 provided with a worm gear 203 is rotativcly mounted in both boss 200and bushing 201. A shaft 29A is rotativcly mounted on opposite ends inleft side wall and right side wall 20. A worm wheel 205 and a beltpulley 206 are fixed to shaft 29A with worm wheel 205 engaging worm gear203. A belt 105A rotativcly engages pulleys 206, 103A and 102A. Pulleys102A and 103A are identical to pulleys 102 and 103 in FIGURE 4. In allother respects the structure illustrated in FIGURE 6 is the same asthestructure illustrated and described in FIGURE 4. The only changebeing the elimination of hand wheel 110 in FIGURE 6. A source of motivepower (not shown) is attached to flexible shaft 202.

Having shown and described preferred embodiments of the presentinvention by way of example, it should be realized that structuralchanges could be made and other examples given without departing fromeither the spirit or scope of this invention.

What I claim is:

1. A tightening tool for cable straps consisting of a hollow housingopen on the front end, a face piece provided axially with a throatterminating in a slot, means fastening said face piece to said hollowhousing at the open front end, a stub shaft rotativcly mounted in saidhollow housing, a pulley, an upper friction drive wheel, means fasteningsaid pulley and upper friction drive wheel to said stub shaft, a mainshaft rotativcly mounted in said hollow housing, means rotating saidmain shaft, a pulley fastened to said main shaft, a belt providing adriving connection between said first mentioned pulley and said secondmentioned pulley, a U-shaped beam lever, a stub shaft fixed in saidhollow housing pivotally mounting said U-shaped beam lever, spring meansfixed on one end to said hollow housing and on the other end to said U-shaped beam lever, a pintle fixed in said U-shapcd beam lever, a lowerfriction gripping wheel rotatively mounted on said pintle and yieldinglyengaging said upper friction drive wheel under the influence of saidspring means, a roller rotativcly mounted in said U-shaped beam-lever, astem fixed in said hollow housing, a trigger finger, provided with a camsurface, pivotally mounted on said stem with said roller engaging saidcam surface, whereby said trigger finger pivots said U beam lever,through said cam surface and roller, to move said lower frictiongripping wheel away from said upper friction drive wheel, said throatterminating in a slot providing access to said upper friction drivewheel and lower friction gripping wheel.

2. A tightening and cut-off tool for cable straps consisting of a hollowhousing open on the front end, a face piece provided axially with athroat terminating in a slot, means fastening said face piece to saidhollow housing at the open front end, an upper knife blade, meansslidably connecting said upper knife blade to said face piece at saidslot, a lower knife blade, means fastening said lower knife blade tosaid face piece at said slot, a knife actuating lever provided with aleaf spring, means pivotally mounting said knife actuating lever in saidhollow housing, means pivotally connecting the end of said actuatinglever to said upper knife blade, a lever provided with an angle shapedbracket, means pivotally mounting said lever in said hollow housing withsaid leaf spring abutting said lever and said angle bracket adapted toengage said knife actuating lever in operative position, a stub shaftrotativcly mounted in said hollow housing, a pulley, an upper frictiondrive wheel, means fastening said pulley and upper friction drive wheelto said stub shaft, a main shaft rotativcly mounted in said hollowhousing, means rotating said main shaft, a pulley fastened to said mainshaft, a belt providing a driving connection between said firstmentioned pulley and said second mentioned pulley, a U-shaped beamlever, a stub shaft fixed in said hollow housing pivotally mounting saidU-shaped beam lever, spring means fixed on one end to said hollowhousing and on the other end to said U-shaped beam lever, a pintle fixedin said U-shaped beam lever, a lower friction gripping wheel rotativclymounted on said pintle and yieldingly engaging said upper friction drivewheel under the influence of said spring means, a roller rotativclymounted in said U-shaped beam-lever, a stem fixed in said hollowhousing, a trigger finger, provided with a cam surface, pivotallymounted on said stem with said roller engaging said cam surface, wherebysaid trigger finger pivots said U-shaped beam lever, through said camsurface and roller, to move said lower friction gripping wheel away fromsaid upper friction drive wheel, said throat terminating in a slotproviding access to said upper and lower knife blades and to said upperfriction drive wheel and lower friction gripping wheel.

3. A tightening tool for cable straps consisting of a hollow housingshaped to provide a hand grip and having an open front end, a face piecehaving a tapered throat terminating in a slot, means fastening said facepiece to said hollow housing at the open front end, a stub shaftrotativcly mounted in said hollow housing, an upper friction drive wheelfastened to said stub shaft, means driving said upper friction drivewheel, a second stub shaft fixed in said hollow housing, a U-shaped beamlever pivotally mounted on said second stub shaft and provided with apintle and a rod, a lower friction gripping wheel rotativcly mounted onsaid pintle, a roller mounted on said rod,

resilient means connecting said Ushaped beam lever to said hollowhousing with said lower friction gripping wheel yieldingly engaging saidupper friction drive wheel in alignment with said slot, a trigger fingerprovided with a cam surface, pivotally mounted in said hollow housingwith said roller engaging said cam surface, whereby pivotal movement ofsaid trigger finger pivots said lower friction gripping wheel away fromsaid upper friction drive wheel against the torque of said resilientmeans through the pivotal movement of said U-shaped beam lever.

4. A tightening and cut-off tool for self locking cable strapsconsisting of a hollow housing shaped to provide a hand grip and havingan open front end, a face piece having a tapered throat terminating in aslot, means fastening said face piece to said hollow housing at the openfront end, an upper knife blade, means slidably connecting said upperknife blade to said face piece at said slot, a lower knife blade, meansfastening said lower knife blade to said face piece at said slot, aknife actuating lever pivotally mounted in said hollow housing, meanspivotally connecting said knife actuating lever to said upper knifeblade, a lever provided with a bracket, pivotally mounted in said hollowhousing, resilient means interposed between said knife actuating leverand said lever whereby said bracket engages said knife actuating leverin opposition to said resilient means, a stub shaft rotatively mountedin said hollow housing, an upper friction drive wheel fastened to saidstub shaft, means driving said upper friction drive wheel, a second stubshaft fixed in said hollow housing, a U-shaped beam lever pivotallymounted on said second stub shaft and provided with a pintle and a rod,a lower friction gripping wheel rotatively mounted on said pintle, aroller mounted on said rod, resilient means connecting said U-shapedbeam lever to said hollow housing with said lower friction grippingwheel yieldingly engaging said upper friction drive wheel in alignmentwith said slot, and said upper knife blade and said lower knife blade, atrigger finger provided with a cam surface, pivotally mounted in saidhollow housing with said roller engaging said cam surface, wherebypivotal movement of said trigger finger pivots said lower frictiongripping wheel away from said upper friction drive wheel against thetorque of said resilient means through the pivotal movement of saidU-shaped beam lever.

5. A tightening and cut-off tool for cable straps consisting of a hollowhousing open on the front end, a face piece provided with an upper andlower vertical slot, a rectangular slot provided axially in said facepiece, a rectangularly shaped tapered throat extending axially andoutwardly from said rectangular slot, means to fasten said face piece tothe front end of said hollow housing, an upper knife blade provided withan opening and an elongated slot, screw means fastened to said facepiece to slidably mount said upper knife blade in said upper verticalslot through said elongated slot, a lower knife blade, means fasteningsaid lower knife blade in said lower vertical slot, a knife actuatinglever provided with a leaf spring, means pivotally mounting said knifeactuating lever in said hollow housing with the end of said knifeactuating lever located in said opening, a lever, means pivotallymounting said lever in said hollow housing, rod fastened in said hollowhousing, said leaf spring abutting said lever to yieldingly force saidlever against said rod, an angle shaped bracket, means fastening saidangle shaped bracket to said lever whereby pivotal movement of saidlever pivotally actuates said knife actuating lever through said angleshaped bracket to move said upper knife blade downwardly in said uppervertical slot, a stub shaft rotatively mounted in said hollow housing, apulley and an upper knurled wheel fixed to said stub shaft, a main shaftrotatively mounted in said hollow housing, means to rotate said mainshaft, a pulley fixed to said main shaft, a belt connecting said firstmentioned pulley with said second mentioned pulley, a U-shaped beamlever provided with an extension, a stub shaft fixed in said hollowhousing, said U-shaped beam lever pivotally mounted on said stub shaft,a coil spring fixed on one end to said extension, means to fasten theother end of said coil spring to said hollow housing, a pintle fixed insaid U-shaped beam lever, a lower knurled gripping wheel rotativelymounted on said pintle and yieldingly engaging said upper knurledgripping wheel under the influence of said coil spring, a rollerrotatively mounted in said U- shaped beam lever, a stem fixed in saidhollow housing, a trigger finger, provided with a cam surface, pivotallymounted on said stem with said roller engaging said cam surface, wherebyactuation of said trigger finger pivots said U-shaped beam lever throughthe action of said roller on said cam surface to move said lower knurledgripping wheel away from said upper knurled gripping wheel, saidrectangular shape tapered throat and rectangular slot providing accessto said upper and lower knife blades and to said upper and lower knurledgripping wheels.

6. A tightening tool for cable straps consisting of a hollow housingopen on the front end, a face piece, means fastening said face piece tosaid hollow housing at said front end, means in said face piece forremovably securing a strap head, a lever, means pivotally mounting saidlever in said hollow housing, resilient means biasing said lever in onedirection, a friction drive wheel, means rotatively mounting saidfriction drive wheel in said hollow housing, a strap gripping wheelsecured to said lever, a trigger finger, means pivotally mounting saidtrigger finger in said hollow housing, means connecting said trig gerfinger to said lever whereby pivotal movement of said trigger fingerpivots said lever in a direction opposite to said resilient means, andmeans for moving said strap grip-ping wheel into contact with saidfriction drive wheel.

7. A tightening and cut-off tool for cable straps consisting of a hollowhousing having an open end, a face piece provided with means for holdingthe head of a cable strap, means fastening said face piece to saidhollow housing at said open end, strap gripping means and strap pullingmeans located in said hollow housing, a lever pivotally mounted in saidhollow housing, means connecting said lever with said strap grippingmeans, a trigger finger mounted in said hollow housing, cam meansconnecting said trigger finger and said lever whereby movement of saidtrigger finger pivots said lever to actuate said strap gripping means,means actuating said strap gripping means, means actuating said strappulling means, strap cut-off means located in said hollow housing, andmeans actuating said strap cut-off means for severing a cable strap heldon one end by said gripping means and on the other end by said facepiece.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,092,405 Shattuck Apr. 7, 1914 1,362,068 Wise Dec. 14, 1920 2,267,532Moberg Dec. 23, 1941 2,827,286 Taylor Mar. 18, 1958 2,967,550 Rosenberget al Jan. 10, 1961 3,047,945 Logan Aug. 7, 1962

1. A TIGHTENING TOOL FOR CABLE STRAPS CONSISTING OF A HOLLOW HOUSINGOPEN ON THE FRONT END, A FACE PIECE PROVIDED AXIALLY WITH A THROATTERMINATING IN A SLOT, MEANS FASTENING SAID FACE PIECE TO SAID HOLLOWHOUSING AT THE OPEN FRONT END, A STUB SHAFT ROTATIVELY MOUNTED IN SAIDHOLLOW HOUSING, A PULLEY, AN UPPER FRICTION DRIVE WHEEL, MEANS FASTENINGSAID PULLEY AND UPPER FRICTION DRIVE WHEEL TO SAID STUB SHAFT, A MAINSHAFT ROTATIVELY MOUNTED IN SAID HOLLOW HOUSING, MEANS ROTATING SAIDMAIN SHAFT, A PULLEY FASTENED TO SAID MAIN SHAFT, A BELT PROVIDING ADRIVING CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID FIRST MENTIONED PULLEY AND SAID SECONDMENTIONED PULLEY, A U-SHAPED BEAM LEVER, A STUB SHAFT FIXED IN SAIDHOLLOW HOUSING PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID U-SHAPED BEAM LEVER, SPRING MEANSFIXED ON ONE END TO SAID HOLLOW HOUSING AND ON THE OTHER END TO SAIDUSHAPED BEAM LEVER, A PINTLE FIXED IN SAID U-SHAPED BEAM LEVER, A LOWERFRICTION GRIPPING WHEEL ROTATIVELY MOUNTED ON SAID PINTLE AND YIELDINGLYENGAGING SAID UPPER FRICTION DRIVE WHEEL UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF SAIDSPRING MEANS, A ROLLER ROTATIVELY MOUNTED IN SAID U-SHAPED BEAM-LEVER, ASTEM FIXED IN SAID HOLLOW HOUSING, A TRIGGER FINGER, PROVIDED WITH A CAMSURFACE, PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID STEM WITH SAID ROLLER ENGAGING SAIDCAM SURFACE, WHEREBY SAID TRIGGER FINGER PIVOTS SAID U BEAM LEVER,THROUGH SAID CAM SURFACE AND ROLLER, TO MOVE SAID LOWER FRICTIONGRIPPING WHEEL AWAY FROM SAID UPPER FRICTION DRIVE WHEEL, SAID THROATTERMINATING IN A SLOT PROVIDING ACCESS TO SAID UPPER FRICTION DRIVEWHEEL AND LOWER FRICTION GRIPPING WHEEL.